• The exhibition at Maropeng

    See how our our ancestors developed over the past few million years.

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  • Conferencing at Maropeng

    Our state-of-the-art conference centre is perfect for a getaway conference close to the city.

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  • Maropeng Hotel

    The Maropeng Hotel is the epitome of luxury accommodation in the Cradle of Humankind. 

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  • School visits

    You will never forget your school trip to the Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves.

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Welcome home!

Welcome to Maropeng (the official visitor centre of the Cradle of Humankind) and the Sterkfontein Caves. Maropeng means “returning to the place of origin” in Setswana, the main indigenous language in this area of South Africa. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is an easy drive of about an hour from Johannesburg or Pretoria. Our ancestors have lived in this area for more than 3-million years. By coming here, you are coming to the birthplace of humanity. Welcome home!

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Things to do

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News

20 June

Tiny fossil primate shakes evolutionary tree

Scientists have announced the discovery of the world’s oldest known fossil primate, a 55-million-year-old creature called Archicebus achilles, which shows changes that happened at a crucial branch in our evolutionary… Read more

19 June

Under African skies – Cradle of Humankind in photos

Even during a thunderstorm, the view from the Maropeng Hotel pool deck is a beautiful one.

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17 June

Menagerie of animals 'discovered' on Mars

Forget the Biker Mice From Mars … recent photos from NASA’s Curiosity Rover show what looks like a squirrel hiding amongst the rocks on the Martian surface!

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14 June

Architectural beauty at Maropeng – Cradle of Humankind in photos

The exterior of the Maropeng Visitor Centre is a true example of cutting-edge architecture.

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